Ali Bakhtiar was a professor of imaging, both tape and film, at Saugus Central University. He lived in a romantic relation with fellow professor Jennifer Logan of the anthropology department. It soon became clear that they were incompatible. Her study field, and her previous career as a space merchant, caused her to have a healthy respect for all sentient life, while he was a bit xenophobic wherever non-Terrans were concerned. After his repeated dismissive remarks about her new Foitani acquaintances, she broke up with him and declared she was moving out, but hoped they could still be friendly colleagues. This became irrelevant for a while, when their complete separation was enforced by her being shanghaied into another adventure in exotic climes in little-known regions of space.
